Monday Morning With My Gadgets
07 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
in Journal, Work Tags: My Journal, Random, Work
Good morning world!
Just past 7 am and it’s still dark out there.
It’s Monday! I love Mondays, don’t you? I don’t have to rush today as I’ve submitted the prices I calculated on last Friday.
Friday is supposed to be the “light-day” for people. But for me, it doesn’t matter what day it is, the job must be done. It I could do it at that time, I prefer to finish whatever at hand. But there was an issue. Last month’s month-end-close issue. We made corrections in October. I decided not to take the figures into account but I needed confirmation from my managers.
“Yes! The logic is there, I agree with you.” The former Manufacturing Accounting Manager said to me. But it was not enough for me. My manager came to me when he heard my arrghhh in a loud voice. He was worried, thought something happened to me. It was just the work. I talked to him and he confirmed what I had in mind. I felt good then.
The thing with this product price is, it does not impact a few Euros but about 100 million euros per month just for this single project. Apart from that, I would not want to hear yet another email from the partner company about a mistake. So, I’m happy to get 3 okays from the former site manager, my manager and also my site-lead.
So now I can just take before rushing to take a fresh shower. Well, these are part of my machines. I am a big fan of Apple products now. My 15″ MacBookPro and my iPad2 are two of my best buddies. I got the former in September and last Saturday for the latter.
My weekend had been a blast. I cooked Italian and Kadazan food with pasta and “tanghoon” (Chinese style vermicelli). I baked cake and I made Italian espresso traditional way. OMG! It was STRONG! And the noodles salad was HOT!
A Day Before Good Friday
21 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Journal, Work Tags: My Journal, Random, Work
I had question marks in my head when I entered the office and one of my male colleagues was wearing black T-shirt with a big “I am the greatest!” at his back. It is Thursday, why is he treating it as if it was Friday?
The sun was shining out there but I was shivering inside the building in my long sleeves top and a bit-upper-knee-short skirt. I made mistake for wearing the skirt for I got 2 same questions from 2 different people in a 2 different time. “What does it mean?”
My sharp-tongued colleague asked me the meaning of the 3 Chinese characters printing on my skirt. Someone said to a Chinese colleague to read it for us (as if he could, he is more “Dutch” than a Chinese). He made excuses. I thought I was better than him as I could read and even write more of the Chinese characters. But I kept the thought to myself, didn’t feel like making his face down again. If you know what I mean.
The day went pretty fast. I did not go out during the lunch hour but was trying to finish up some work.
I had a follow-up meeting on the team’s social event planning for the upcoming months. It turned out, not as positive as I would like to imagine. It was a good thing I took a deep breath before we entered the room.
Whatever you do, wherever you go, whichever way you think, there is always someone who is not happy and negative about a lot of things.
Just because you want to keep your nails from ruining, doesn’t mean the climbing up the stone or making something with bamboo is not a good team building activity. I had no word to describe how this was really a childish behaviour.
I went back to the boss and told him that we were to stick with the plan. He was OK with it finally. He didn’t want to decide (although he DID without realizing it), as he had us to organize the team events. He might have his worries but I just reminded him, “It’s me!”. He turned from my face to his computer and said, “Yes, yes. I trust you!”. Thank you Sir!
Although it was a though day for me because my head was still aching, and I had to do a thousand-and-one thing in one day, I did make some people happy. I took EUR3.50 of 5 cents and EUR1.50 from other coins to the canteen for their change (so I get a note of EUR5), they were so happy and just kept saying. “It’s wonderful!” I just smiled and said “My pleasure!” and left the canteen with my takeaway mixed salad and a free hard-boiled egg.
I was blessed with some compliments and comments from my bosses. “Princess” and “my dear” by my new supervisor. “Angel” by my manager. And a “she was quiet this whole week but once she is out from her skin, she is delicious!” from Mr CL. Btw, he got his “Smile if you want sex!” photos I made in December last year, which surely made his day.
Thinking of my earlier thought, I think I need a copy of that black t-shirt from my colleague. I want to be greatest on this Thursday too. As tomorrow is public holiday. A very long weekend celebrating Easter. And I don’t have any plans yet.
Appreciated Thought
15 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Events, Journal, Work Tags: Creative Ideas, Fun & Inspirational, My Journal, Work
Ah! What a fantabulous day! I loved how it turned out to be!
Our first team lunch was a success. We had it at the Chinese restaurant, 10-minute away from our office on foot. With 2 tables and many different nationalities: African, Chinese, Dutch, French, Irish, Italian, Malaysian and Spanish. We had enough meal for all of us. While waiting for the dessert to come, I went to the middle, between the 2 tables and told them that due to the recent occasion, I would like to do something new by celebrating it, and not going to do the “traditional” way (buying cakes and inviting colleagues to eat together at the open space in the office). So, I handed out the Fortune Sweets to each of them. Later, I heard laughter and talks from them.
Someone has a secret-admirer or someone will soon strike a jackpot. I don’t know who gets what but I am so happy this works out.
Apart from that, when the bill came, I surprised them with “the Boss has something to say” (by handling over the bill to him). They all burst out laughing and I could see how our Boss was all smiling with his comments and jokes. “….. since it’s our first team lunch and we just finished our first quarter. I’d be glad to say that today’s lunch would be paid by YOU!”
It all ended well and we all had a terrific time. I am glad when in the morning I turned to 2 colleagues to ask their opinion of this simple idea of mine. One (male colleague) said, “People don’t care how it looks like, beautiful or ugly. They will appreciate all what you have done and are trying to do.”
Another one (a female colleague) was all jumping when I showed her what I planned to do. She is above 50 but she acts as if she was a kid, so excited to receive a gift. So, I went ahead with the idea. And it turned out GREAT!
No matter how small the gift is, or how cheap it looks like, but people appreciate it nonetheless. It’s the thought that counts!
Fortune Sweets
14 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Work Tags: Creative Ideas
As I walked out of the metro today, I went to the biggest supermarket to get titbits such as cakes, chocolates, sweets and cookies. I got an idea this afternoon when DT, GF and I were having lunch at the best-recommended Chinese restaurant in the city. As usual we had dimsum and fried noodles with all sorts of mushroom and shitaké. After lunch, we made a reservation for the next day’s lunch with 20 people at the restaurant.
This restaurant is the best but they don’t have fortune cookies which was a minus point. So, I thought of doing my own fortune cookies and distribute to all my colleagues tomorrow after the meals. But I was too lazy to bake the cookies so I just bought the stuff I mentioned earlier. I divided all titbits in 20 plastics with a piece of paper that I wrote by hand with sayings that I found from the internet. So, this I will call Fortune Sweets.
I don’t celebrate my birthday at work, but I hope I can do a bit of fun for my belated birthday which they may not realize. 
Nice Feedback For The Mistake
11 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Journal, Work Tags: My Journal, Work
Today I am back to work without really recovering from the fever. I called up the receptionist and reported of me being back to work.
I had 2 deadlines to meet for the March close. It was supposed to send out on last Friday but who to blame, I was ill although I did try to do my job at home with my heavy head, dizzy and fever. Surely I could make mistakes.
So I made one this morning. I had to resend the emails with the analysis to all the management. I felt miserable as I did not like it when I did mistakes. I received a nice comment back from my counterpart cc-ing all the people in the email I sent out. I only realized it after a call with my US Manager. He mentioned about the good email and it made me think, “He appreciates what I have done.”
Escapade
07 Aug 2009 Leave a Comment
in Journal, Life, Random, Work Tags: Journal, Life, Random, Rants & Raves, Work
The closing for this month went smoothly although there was a very “interesting” issue happening after everything was closed. I might say we handled it perfectly up to now. I am not sure what is coming our way next week. I might get another bombshell from the partners which I’m not looking forward to.
My week at work was a disaster. I dare say that all I remember doing was looking straight at the machine the whole day while on my desk and counting the speadsheet cells, or walk like it’s nobody’s business (not sure when I was turned into a robot) and even ate nothing but a heartache. Head spinning and foul tasting, I wished I was somewhere deserted. But hell, no. I was in the middle of an old building with thousand pairs of eyes and mouth to prevent me from screaming out loud.
As the minute passed by each moment, I got weaker and weaker. So all I could think of was to get the hell out of here. Tonight either to the clubs that I’ve abandoned a year ago or to a movie. No, going home shouldn’t be a good idea at this moment as the brain might do its work again and creating the already dark circles around the eyes.
G: “Any plans for lunch?”
J: “None so far. Want to go out?”
G: “Yep, should be fun again.”
So, I had a date with a male colleague! Eventually accompanied by another 3 male colleagues. With 4 men as my bodyguards, I was sure sweating. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hot here in Rotterdam. The passionfruit and mango icecream at Australian introduced by G with the combination of sweet and sour was really delicious. Instead of 30 minutes lunch time, we reached office the next 1.30-hour.
Back to work, I felt the waive back (not that I didn’t feel it during the walk with the guys). My eyes were heavy and the heart was breaking. Fortunately, the American Hongkese manager with a pitching voice told us about his educational experience at the gay parade in Amsterdam when the guys asked him whether he would go for the dance parade tomorrow. His another experience with a gay pastry chef was sure creating the quietness in the office to a sfere of a male club, loud and clear. As a non-gay fellow, he got this remark from his pastry chef, “Your hand is as straight as an arrow.” It sure was the words of the day for them. As for me, I got an unfinished business and so here I was back to my mobile phone again.
It’s Friday and Rotterdam is full of Friday-night-life-visitors. As it happened, I was in to that. A JD on the rocks did do me good. Just an escapade for once in a blue moon thingy.
Back to Work
07 Aug 2009 Leave a Comment
in Journal, Life, Random, Travel, Work Tags: Journal, Random, Travel, Work
Monday, 3 Aug 2009
The flight back to NL was a smooth one although there were some turbulences going on. It could be worse but I was asleep. Normally I would just watch movies on board, this time I rather slept away all the things that played in my mind. Food served sucks, not to my taste anymore as it used to be.
The space for the baggage belts was full of people. I could hardly find a trolley but managed eventually. My luggage was overweight by 6 kilos and I was granted 5 kilos extra without paying any extras but the 6 kilos I had to pay for RM1100 at KLIA. At Schipol airport, my fear that the custom would take away the food I bring in. Not that I took a lot and not that they were wet, it’s just that after paying such a huge amount to the excess weight, I might lose them as well.
Going through the custom, I saw an Asian girl was stopped by the custom people and to go inside for control. Some Westerns in front of me and it was my turn. I got stopped and asked by one of the uniform men.
“Where did you come from?”
“Err.. Malaysia.”
He looked at me and showed his finger that I could proceed to the exit. Phew! “Thank God!”
A bit more than one hour, I reached home. Took shower and got prepared for the day. I called up the office and told that I’d be late for work. On the way I fought hard not to fall asleep and I didn’t. Work was fine. I managed to do things I needed to do for the day. But I was definitely exausted, body and mind. Mind especially. At 5pm on the dot, I switched off the computer and left home for a good night sleep without having dinner.
Yep, I just worked for a bit more than half a day on that day.
Rotterdam Today
25 May 2009 2 Comments
in Life, Photography, Work Tags: Life, Netherlands, Photography, Photos, Random, Rotterdam, Sport, Work
I have no clue what’s going on with the server today but I lost all what I have typed the last half an hour or so when I pressed the Save Draft button. Instead of rewriting them, I guess I will just share some photos taken today. I hope I don’t waste my time on this one too.
All the buildings you see in the pictures below are near the Rotterdam Central Station.
The CS is under construction since 2006 and is planned to complete by 2010 (crossing my fingers, you know how the Dutch schedules are. Summer stop. Winter stop.).
Hence you see all the work going on.
The ING buildings
The Plaza building and Weston Hotel. I used to work at the Plaza on 10th floor, from 2006-2008 before joining ING in The Hague and later the present company.
Grootshandelsgebouw building which is a monument for the city. Our office is at the back.
Yours truly - going back to work from lunch. Our office is at the Grootshandelsgebouw.
Another one with Grootshandelsgebouw at the back
View from my old office in 2006-2008 to the CS construction. This was taken when I was still working with Reebok-Adidas as an International Accountant. I guess the construction has long begun when I took this in Sept 2006.
View from my old office in 2006-2008. Taken in Sept 2006.
Recent Comments